1
|
Roy S, Lutsenko S. Mechanism of Cu entry into the brain: many unanswered questions. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:2421-2429. [PMID: 38526278 PMCID: PMC11090436 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.393107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain tissue requires high amounts of copper (Cu) for its key physiological processes, such as energy production, neurotransmitter synthesis, maturation of neuropeptides, myelination, synaptic plasticity, and radical scavenging. The requirements for Cu in the brain vary depending on specific brain regions, cell types, organism age, and nutritional status. Cu imbalances cause or contribute to several life-threatening neurologic disorders including Menkes disease, Wilson disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and others. Despite the well-established role of Cu homeostasis in brain development and function, the mechanisms that govern Cu delivery to the brain are not well defined. This review summarizes available information on Cu transfer through the brain barriers and discusses issues that require further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shubhrajit Roy
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Svetlana Lutsenko
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li X, Chen X, Gao X. Copper and cuproptosis: new therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1300405. [PMID: 38178962 PMCID: PMC10766373 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1300405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Copper (Cu) plays a crucial role as a trace element in various physiological processes in humans. Nonetheless, free copper ions accumulate in the brain over time, resulting in a range of pathological changes. Compelling evidence indicates that excessive free copper deposition contributes to cognitive decline in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Free copper levels in the serum and brain of AD patients are notably elevated, leading to reduced antioxidant defenses and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, free copper accumulation triggers a specific form of cell death, namely copper-dependent cell death (cuproptosis). This article aimed to review the correlation between copper dysregulation and the pathogenesis of AD, along with the primary pathways regulating copper homoeostasis and copper-induced death in AD. Additionally, the efficacy and safety of natural and synthetic agents, including copper chelators, lipid peroxidation inhibitors, and antioxidants, were examined. These treatments can restore copper equilibrium and prevent copper-induced cell death in AD cases. Another aim of this review was to highlight the significance of copper dysregulation and promote the development of pharmaceutical interventions to address it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xinwang Chen
- College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Acupuncture Clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiyan Gao
- College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Acupuncture Clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lei P, Ayton S, Bush AI. The essential elements of Alzheimer's disease. J Biol Chem 2020; 296:100105. [PMID: 33219130 PMCID: PMC7948403 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.008207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) directed against the prominent amyloid plaque neuropathology are yet to be proved effective despite many phase 3 clinical trials. There are several other neurochemical abnormalities that occur in the AD brain that warrant renewed emphasis as potential therapeutic targets for this disease. Among those are the elementomic signatures of iron, copper, zinc, and selenium. Here, we review these essential elements of AD for their broad potential to contribute to Alzheimer’s pathophysiology, and we also highlight more recent attempts to translate these findings into therapeutics. A reinspection of large bodies of discovery in the AD field, such as this, may inspire new thinking about pathogenesis and therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lei
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, P.R. China; Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Scott Ayton
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashley I Bush
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Krzywoszyńska K, Witkowska D, Świątek-Kozłowska J, Szebesczyk A, Kozłowski H. General Aspects of Metal Ions as Signaling Agents in Health and Disease. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10101417. [PMID: 33036384 PMCID: PMC7600656 DOI: 10.3390/biom10101417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on the current knowledge on the involvement of metal ions in signaling processes within the cell, in both physiological and pathological conditions. The first section is devoted to the recent discoveries on magnesium and calcium-dependent signal transduction-the most recognized signaling agents among metals. The following sections then describe signaling pathways where zinc, copper, and iron play a key role. There are many systems in which changes in intra- and extra-cellular zinc and copper concentrations have been linked to important downstream events, especially in nervous signal transduction. Iron signaling is mostly related with its homeostasis. However, it is also involved in a recently discovered type of programmed cell death, ferroptosis. The important differences in metal ion signaling, and its disease-leading alterations, are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Krzywoszyńska
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland; (J.Ś.-K.); (A.S.); (H.K.)
- Correspondence: (K.K.); (D.W.); Tel.: +48-77-44-23-549 (K.K); +48-77-44-23-548 (D.W.)
| | - Danuta Witkowska
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland; (J.Ś.-K.); (A.S.); (H.K.)
- Correspondence: (K.K.); (D.W.); Tel.: +48-77-44-23-549 (K.K); +48-77-44-23-548 (D.W.)
| | - Jolanta Świątek-Kozłowska
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland; (J.Ś.-K.); (A.S.); (H.K.)
| | - Agnieszka Szebesczyk
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland; (J.Ś.-K.); (A.S.); (H.K.)
| | - Henryk Kozłowski
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland; (J.Ś.-K.); (A.S.); (H.K.)
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 14 F. Joliot-Curie St., 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Diaz-Parga P, Goto JJ, Krishnan VV. On the Differential Roles of Mg 2+, Zn 2+, and Cu 2+ in the Equilibrium of β-N-Methyl-Amino-L-Alanine (BMAA) and its Carbamates. Neurotox Res 2020; 39:6-16. [PMID: 31955368 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-019-00157-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
β-N-methyl-amino-L-alanine (BMAA) in the presence of bicarbonate (HCO3-) undergoes structural modifications generating two carbamate species, α-carbamate and β-carbamate forms of BMAA. The chemical structure of BMAA and BMAA-carbamate adducts strongly suggest they may interact with divalent metal ions. The ability of BMAA to cross the blood-brain barrier and possibly interact with divalent metal ions may augment the neurotoxicity of these molecules. To understand the effects of divalent metal ions (Mg2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+) on the overall dynamic equilibrium between BMAA and its carbamate adducts, a systematic study using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is presented. The chemical equilibria between BMAA, its carbamate adducts, and each of the divalent ions were studied using two-dimensional chemical exchange spectroscopy (EXSY). The NMR results demonstrate that BMAA preferentially interacts with Zn2+ and Cu2+, causing an overall reduction in the production of carbamate species by altering the dynamic equilibria. The NMR-based spectral changes due to the BMAA interaction with Cu2+ is more drastic than with the Zn2+, under the same stoichiometric ratios of BMAA and the individual divalent ions. However, the presence of Mg2+ does not significantly alter the dynamic equilibria between BMAA and its carbamate adducts. The NMR-based results are further validated using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, observing the n ➔ π interaction in the complex formation of BMAA and the divalent metal ions, with additional verification of the interaction with Cu2+ using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate that BMAA differentially interacts with divalent metal ions (Mg2+ < Zn2+ < Cu2+), and thus alters the rate of formation of carbamate products. The equilibria between BMAA, the bicarbonate ions, and the divalent metal ions may alter the total population of a specific form of BMAA-ion complex at physiological conditions and, therefore, add a level of complexity of the mechanisms by which BMAA acts as a neurotoxin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Diaz-Parga
- Department of Chemistry, California State University, Fresno, CA, 93740, USA
| | - Joy J Goto
- Department of Chemistry, California State University, Fresno, CA, 93740, USA.
| | - V V Krishnan
- Department of Chemistry, California State University, Fresno, CA, 93740, USA. .,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kepp KP, Squitti R. Copper imbalance in Alzheimer’s disease: Convergence of the chemistry and the clinic. Coord Chem Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2019.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
|
7
|
Neely CLC, Lippi SLP, Lanzirotti A, Flinn JM. Localization of Free and Bound Metal Species through X-Ray Synchrotron Fluorescence Microscopy in the Rodent Brain and Their Relation to Behavior. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9040074. [PMID: 30925761 PMCID: PMC6523809 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9040074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biometals in the brain, such as zinc, copper, and iron, are often discussed in cases of neurological disorders; however, these metals also have important regulatory functions and mediate cell signaling and plasticity. With the use of synchrotron X-ray fluorescence, our lab localized total, both bound and free, levels of zinc, copper, and iron in a cross section of one hemisphere of a rat brain, which also showed differing metal distributions in different regions within the hippocampus, the site in the brain known to be crucial for certain types of memory. This review discusses the several roles of these metals in brain regions with an emphasis on hippocampal cell signaling, based on spatial mapping obtained from X-ray fluorescence microscopy. We also discuss the localization of these metals and emphasize different cell types and receptors in regions with metal accumulation, as well as the potential relationship between this physiology and behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline L C Neely
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
| | - Stephen L P Lippi
- Department of Psychology & Sociology, Angelo State University, 2601 W. Avenue N, ASU Station #10907, San Angelo, TX 76909, USA.
| | - Antonio Lanzirotti
- Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, University of Chicago, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
| | - Jane M Flinn
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yamada Y, Prosser RA. Copper in the suprachiasmatic circadian clock: A possible link between multiple circadian oscillators. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 51:47-70. [PMID: 30269387 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is very robust, able to coordinate our daily physiological and behavioral rhythms with exquisite accuracy. Simultaneously, the SCN clock is highly sensitive to environmental timing cues such as the solar cycle. This duality of resiliency and sensitivity may be sustained in part by a complex intertwining of three cellular oscillators: transcription/translation, metabolic/redox, and membrane excitability. We suggest here that one of the links connecting these oscillators may be forged from copper (Cu). Cellular Cu levels are highly regulated in the brain and peripherally, and Cu affects cellular metabolism, redox state, cell signaling, and transcription. We have shown that both Cu chelation and application induce nighttime phase shifts of the SCN clock in vitro and that these treatments affect glutamate, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, and associated signaling processes differently. More recently we found that Cu induces mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent phase shifts, while the mechanisms by which Cu removal induces phase shifts remain unclear. Lastly, we have found that two Cu transporters are expressed in the SCN, and that one of these transporters (ATP7A) exhibits a day/night rhythm. Our results suggest that Cu homeostasis is tightly regulated in the SCN, and that changes in Cu levels may serve as a time cue for the circadian clock. We discuss these findings in light of the existing literature and current models of multiple coupled circadian oscillators in the SCN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Yamada
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, NeuroNET Research Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Rebecca A Prosser
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, NeuroNET Research Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Schmidt K, Ralle M, Schaffer T, Jayakanthan S, Bari B, Muchenditsi A, Lutsenko S. ATP7A and ATP7B copper transporters have distinct functions in the regulation of neuronal dopamine-β-hydroxylase. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:20085-20098. [PMID: 30341172 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The copper (Cu) transporters ATPase copper-transporting alpha (ATP7A) and ATPase copper-transporting beta (ATP7B) are essential for the normal function of the mammalian central nervous system. Inactivation of ATP7A or ATP7B causes the severe neurological disorders, Menkes disease and Wilson disease, respectively. In both diseases, Cu imbalance is associated with abnormal levels of the catecholamine-type neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Dopamine is converted to norepinephrine by dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), which acquires its essential Cu cofactor from ATP7A. However, the role of ATP7B in catecholamine homeostasis is unclear. Here, using immunostaining of mouse brain sections and cultured cells, we show that DBH-containing neurons express both ATP7A and ATP7B. The two transporters are located in distinct cellular compartments and oppositely regulate the export of soluble DBH from cultured neuronal cells under resting conditions. Down-regulation of ATP7A, overexpression of ATP7B, and pharmacological Cu depletion increased DBH retention in cells. In contrast, ATP7B inactivation elevated extracellular DBH. Proteolytic processing and the specific activity of exported DBH were not affected by changes in ATP7B levels. These results establish distinct regulatory roles for ATP7A and ATP7B in neuronal cells and explain, in part, the lack of functional compensation between these two transporters in human disorders of Cu imbalance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Schmidt
- From the Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Martina Ralle
- the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
| | - Thomas Schaffer
- the Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, and
| | - Samuel Jayakanthan
- From the Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Bilal Bari
- the Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Abigael Muchenditsi
- From the Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Svetlana Lutsenko
- From the Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205,.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
Transition metals have been recognized and studied primarily in the context of their essential roles as structural and metabolic cofactors for biomolecules that compose living systems. More recently, an emerging paradigm of transition-metal signaling, where dynamic changes in transitional metal pools can modulate protein function, cell fate, and organism health and disease, has broadened our view of the potential contributions of these essential nutrients in biology. Using copper as a canonical example of transition-metal signaling, we highlight key experiments where direct measurement and/or visualization of dynamic copper pools, in combination with biochemical, physiological, and behavioral studies, have deciphered sources, targets, and physiological effects of copper signals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher J Chang
- Departments of Chemistry, Berkeley, California 94720-1460; Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley, California 94720-1460; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720-1460; Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang P, Wang ZY. Metal ions influx is a double edged sword for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2017; 35:265-290. [PMID: 27829171 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common form of dementia in aged people, which is defined by two pathological characteristics: β-amyloid protein (Aβ) deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation. Although the mechanisms of AD development are still being debated, a series of evidence supports the idea that metals, such as copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and aluminium, are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. In particular, the processes of Aβ deposition in senile plaques (SP) and the inclusion of phosphorylated tau in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are markedly influenced by alterations in the homeostasis of the aforementioned metal ions. Moreover, the mechanisms of oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity, neurotoxicity, autophagy and apoptosis mediate the effects of metal ions-induced the aggregation state of Aβ and phosphorylated tau on AD development. More importantly, imbalance of these mechanisms finally caused cognitive decline in different experiment models. Collectively, reconstructing the signaling network that regulates AD progression by metal ions may provide novel insights for developing chelators specific for metal ions to combat AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pu Wang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, No. 3-11, Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110819, PR China.
| | - Zhan-You Wang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, No. 3-11, Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110819, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kapkaeva MR, Popova OV, Kondratenko RV, Rogozin PD, Genrikhs EE, Stelmashook EV, Skrebitsky VG, Khaspekov LG, Isaev NK. Effects of copper on viability and functional properties of hippocampal neurons in vitro. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 69:259-264. [PMID: 28189473 DOI: 10.1016/j.etp.2017.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Copper (Cu2+) is an essential metal presented in the mammalian brain and released from synaptic vesicles following neuronal depolarization. However, the disturbance of Cu2+ homeostasis results in neurotoxicity. In our study we performed for the first time a combined functional investigation of cultured hippocampal neurons under Cu2+ exposure, its effect on spontaneous spike activity of hippocampal neuronal network cultured on multielectrode array (MEA), and development of long-term potentiation (LTP) in acute hippocampal slices in the presence of Cu2+. Application of 0.2mM CuCl2 for 24h reduced viability of cultured neurons to 40±6%, whereas 0.01mM CuCl2 did not influence significantly on the neuronal survival. However, exposure to the action of 0.01mM Cu2+ resulted in pronounced reduction of network spike activity and abolished LTP induced by high-frequency stimulation of Schaffer's collaterals in CA1 pyramidal neurons of hippocampal slices. Antioxidant Trolox, the hydrosoluble vitamin E analogue, prevented neurotoxic effect and alterations of network activity under Cu2+ exposure, but didn't change the impairment of LTP in Cu2+-exposured hippocampal slices. We hypothesized that spontaneous network neuronal activity probably is one of the potential targets of Cu2+-induced neurotoxicity, in which free radicals can be involved. At the same time, it may be suggested that Cu2+-induced alterations of long-lasting trace processes (like LTP) are not mediated by oxidative damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nickolay K Isaev
- Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia; Moscow State University, A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Biological Faculty, Moscow, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
Copper is an essential trace metal that is required for several important biological processes, however, an excess of copper can be toxic to cells. Therefore, systemic and cellular copper homeostasis is tightly regulated, but dysregulation of copper homeostasis may occur in disease states, resulting either in copper deficiency or copper overload and toxicity. This chapter will give an overview on the biological roles of copper and of the mechanisms involved in copper uptake, storage, and distribution. In addition, we will describe potential mechanisms of the cellular toxicity of copper and copper oxide nanoparticles. Finally, we will summarize the current knowledge on the connection of copper toxicity with neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Bulcke
- Center for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen, Faculty 2 (Biology/Chemistry), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Center for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ralf Dringen
- Center for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen, Faculty 2 (Biology/Chemistry), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Center for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ivo Florin Scheiber
- Center for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen, Faculty 2 (Biology/Chemistry), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
- Center for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology, Bremen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Styczeń K, Sowa-Kućma M, Siwek M, Dudek D, Reczyński W, Misztak P, Szewczyk B, Topór-Mądry R, Opoka W, Nowak G. Study of the Serum Copper Levels in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Biol Trace Elem Res 2016; 174:287-293. [PMID: 27147437 PMCID: PMC5090008 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-016-0720-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Copper may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Clinical data on this issue are very limited and not conclusive. The purpose of the study was to determine the copper concentration in the serum of patients with major depressive disorder and to discuss its potential clinical usefulness as a biomarker of the disease. A case-control clinical study included 69 patients with current depressive episode, 45 patients in remission and 50 healthy volunteers. Cu concentration was measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The mean serum copper level in depressed patients was slightly lower (by 11 %; not statistically significant) than in the control group. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in Cu2+ concentration between depressive episode and remission, nor between remission and control group. In the remission group were observed significant correlations between copper levels and the average number of relapses over the past years or time of remission. There was no correlation between serum copper and severity of depression, as measured by HDRS and MADRS. The obtained results showed no significant differences between the copper concentration in the blood serum of patients (both with current depressive episode and in remission) and healthy volunteers, as well as the lack of correlations between the copper level in the active stage of the disease and clinical features of the population. Our study is the first conducted on such a large population of patients, so the results may be particularly important and reliable source of knowledge about the potential role of copper in depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Styczeń
- Department of Affective Disorders, Chair of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Sowa-Kućma
- Department of Neurobiology, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology PAS, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Marcin Siwek
- Department of Affective Disorders, Chair of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Dominika Dudek
- Department of Affective Disorders, Chair of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Witold Reczyński
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Misztak
- Department of Neurobiology, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology PAS, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Bernadeta Szewczyk
- Department of Neurobiology, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology PAS, Kraków, Poland
| | - Roman Topór-Mądry
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Włodzimierz Opoka
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Gabriel Nowak
- Department of Neurobiology, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology PAS, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Młyniec K, Gaweł M, Doboszewska U, Starowicz G, Nowak G. The Role of Elements in Anxiety. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2016; 103:295-326. [PMID: 28061974 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Elements (bioelements) are necessary factors required for the physiological function of organisms. They are critically involved in fundamental processes of life. Extra- and intracellular message and metabolic pathway factors as well as structural components include one or many elements in their functional structure. Recent years have seen an intensification in terms of knowledge gained about the roles of elements in anxiety disorders. In this chapter we present a review of the most important current data concerning the involvement of zinc, magnesium, copper, lithium, iron, and manganese, and their deficiency, in the pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Młyniec
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
| | - M Gaweł
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - U Doboszewska
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - G Starowicz
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - G Nowak
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Młyniec K, Gaweł M, Doboszewska U, Starowicz G, Pytka K, Davies CL, Budziszewska B. Essential elements in depression and anxiety. Part II. Pharmacol Rep 2014; 67:187-94. [PMID: 25712638 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2014.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2014] [Revised: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this paper we continue to discuss the involvement of essential elements in depression and anxiety, and the possible mechanisms that link elements to the neurobiology underlying depression/anxiety. The present paper is focused on copper, selenium, manganese, iodine and vanadium. Different aspects of relationship between elements and depression or anxiety are reviewed, e.g. the association of the amount of an element in a diet or the serum level of an element and depressive or anxiety-like symptoms. Moreover, the relation of selected elements to the pathophysiology of depression or anxiety is discussed in the context of enzymes which require these elements as co-factors and are involved in the underlying pathophysiology of these disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Młyniec
- Department of Biochemical Toxicology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Gaweł
- Department of Radioligands, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Urszula Doboszewska
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland; Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Gabriela Starowicz
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Pytka
- Department of Pharmacology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Claire Linzi Davies
- Neurobiology Division, The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Bogusława Budziszewska
- Department of Biochemical Toxicology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland; Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Marchetti C. Interaction of metal ions with neurotransmitter receptors and potential role in neurodiseases. Biometals 2014; 27:1097-113. [PMID: 25224737 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-014-9791-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that toxic metals play a role in diseases of unknown etiology. Their action is often mediated by membrane proteins, and in particular neurotransmitter receptors. This brief review will describe recent findings on the direct interaction of metal ions with ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) and glutamate receptors, the main inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammalian central nervous system, respectively. Both hyper and hypo function of these receptors are involved in neurological and psychotic syndromes and modulation by metal ions is an important pharmacological issue. The focus will be on three xenobiotic metals, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) that have no biological function and whose presence in living organisms is only detrimental, and two trace metals, zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), which are essential for several enzymatic functions, but can mediate toxic actions if deregulated. Despite limited access to the brain and tight control by metalloproteins, exogenous metals interfere with receptor performances by mimicking physiological ions and occupying one or more modulatory sites on the protein. These interactions will be discussed as a potential cause of neuronal dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Marchetti
- Istituto di Biofisica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via De Marini, 6, 16149, Genoa, Italy,
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Loss of COMMD1 and copper overload disrupt zinc homeostasis and influence an autism-associated pathway at glutamatergic synapses. Biometals 2014; 27:715-30. [DOI: 10.1007/s10534-014-9764-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|
19
|
Opazo CM, Greenough MA, Bush AI. Copper: from neurotransmission to neuroproteostasis. Front Aging Neurosci 2014; 6:143. [PMID: 25071552 PMCID: PMC4080678 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Copper is critical for the Central Nervous System (CNS) development and function. In particular, different studies have shown the effect of copper at brain synapses, where it inhibits Long Term Potentation (LTP) and receptor pharmacology. Paradoxically, according to recent studies copper is required for a normal LTP response. Copper is released at the synaptic cleft, where it blocks glutamate receptors, which explain its blocking effects on excitatory neurotransmission. Our results indicate that copper also enhances neurotransmission through the accumulation of PSD95 protein, which increase the levels of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors located at the plasma membrane of the post-synaptic density. Thus, our findings represent a novel mechanism for the action of copper, which may have implications for the neurophysiology and neuropathology of the CNS. These data indicate that synaptic configuration is sensitive to transient changes in transition metal homeostasis. Our results suggest that copper increases GluA1 subunit levels of the AMPA receptor through the anchorage of AMPA receptors to the plasma membrane as a result of PSD-95 accumulation. Here, we will review the role of copper on neurotransmission of CNS neurons. In addition, we will discuss the potential mechanisms by which copper could modulate neuronal proteostasis (“neuroproteostasis”) in the CNS with focus in the Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS), which is particularly relevant to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) where copper and protein dyshomeostasis may contribute to neurodegeneration. An understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to control metal and synaptic alterations observed in AD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Opazo
- Oxidation Biology Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark A Greenough
- Oxidation Biology Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley I Bush
- Oxidation Biology Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Scheiber IF, Mercer JF, Dringen R. Metabolism and functions of copper in brain. Prog Neurobiol 2014; 116:33-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 213] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
21
|
Gaier ED, Rodriguiz RM, Zhou J, Ralle M, Wetsel WC, Eipper BA, Mains RE. In vivo and in vitro analyses of amygdalar function reveal a role for copper. J Neurophysiol 2014; 111:1927-39. [PMID: 24554785 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00631.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mice with a single copy of the peptide amidating monooxygenase (Pam) gene (PAM(+/-)) are impaired in contextual and cued fear conditioning. These abnormalities coincide with deficient long-term potentiation (LTP) at excitatory thalamic afferent synapses onto pyramidal neurons in the lateral amygdala. Slice recordings from PAM(+/-) mice identified an increase in GABAergic tone (Gaier ED, Rodriguiz RM, Ma XM, Sivaramakrishnan S, Bousquet-Moore D, Wetsel WC, Eipper BA, Mains RE. J Neurosci 30: 13656-13669, 2010). Biochemical data indicate a tissue-specific deficit in Cu content in the amygdala; amygdalar expression of Atox-1 and Atp7a, essential for transport of Cu into the secretory pathway, is reduced in PAM(+/-) mice. When PAM(+/-) mice were fed a diet supplemented with Cu, the impairments in fear conditioning were reversed, and LTP was normalized in amygdala slice recordings. A role for endogenous Cu in amygdalar LTP was established by the inhibitory effect of a brief incubation of wild-type slices with bathocuproine disulfonate, a highly selective, cell-impermeant Cu chelator. Interestingly, bath-applied CuSO₄ had no effect on excitatory currents but reversibly potentiated the disynaptic inhibitory current. Bath-applied CuSO₄ was sufficient to potentiate wild-type amygdala afferent synapses. The ability of dietary Cu to affect signaling in pathways that govern fear-based behaviors supports an essential physiological role for Cu in amygdalar function at both the synaptic and behavioral levels. This work is relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders in which disturbed Cu homeostasis could contribute to altered synaptic transmission, including Wilson's, Menkes, Alzheimer's, and prion-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E D Gaier
- Neuroscience Department, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - R M Rodriguiz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - J Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - M Ralle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - W C Wetsel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; and Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - B A Eipper
- Neuroscience Department, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - R E Mains
- Neuroscience Department, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut;
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Barnham KJ, Bush AI. Biological metals and metal-targeting compounds in major neurodegenerative diseases. Chem Soc Rev 2014; 43:6727-49. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cs00138a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 347] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metals are functionally essential, but redistribute in neurodegenerative disease where they induce protein aggregates, catalyze radical formation, and lose bioavailability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Barnham
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
- The University of Melbourne
- Parkville, Australia
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Ashley I. Bush
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
- The University of Melbourne
- Parkville, Australia
- Department of Pathology
- The University of Melbourne
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Multiple effects of copper on NMDA receptor currents. Brain Res 2014; 1542:20-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
24
|
Gaier ED, Miller MB, Ralle M, Aryal D, Wetsel WC, Mains RE, Eipper BA. Peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase heterozygosity alters brain copper handling with region specificity. J Neurochem 2013; 127:605-19. [PMID: 24032518 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Copper (Cu), an essential trace element present throughout the mammalian nervous system, is crucial for normal synaptic function. Neuronal handling of Cu is poorly understood. We studied the localization and expression of Atp7a, the major intracellular Cu transporter in the brain, and its relation to peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM), an essential cuproenzyme and regulator of Cu homeostasis in neuroendocrine cells. Based on biochemical fractionation and immunostaining of dissociated neurons, Atp7a was enriched in post-synaptic vesicular fractions. Cu followed a similar pattern, with ~ 20% of total Cu in synaptosomes. A mouse model heterozygous for the Pam gene (PAM+/−) was selectively Cu deficient in the amygdala. As in cortex and hippocampus, Atp7a and PAM expression overlap in the amygdala, with highest expression in interneurons. Messenger RNA levels of Atox-1 and Atp7a, which deliver Cu to the secretory pathway, were reduced in the amygdala but not in the hippocampus in PAM+/− mice, GABAB receptor mRNA levels were similarly affected. Consistent with Cu deficiency, dopamine β-monooxygenase function was impaired as evidenced by elevated dopamine metabolites in the amygdala, but not in the hippocampus, of PAM+/− mice. These alterations in Cu delivery to the secretory pathway in the PAM+/− amygdala may contribute to the physiological and behavioral deficits observed. Atp7a, a Cu-transporting P-type ATPase, is localized to the trans-Golgi network and to vesicles distributed throughout the dendritic arbor. Tissue-specific alterations in Atp7a expression were found in mice heterozygous for peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM), an essential neuropeptide-synthesizing cuproenzyme. Atp7a and PAM are highly expressed in amygdalar interneurons. Reduced amygdalar expression of Atox-1 and Atp7a in PAM heterozygous mice may lead to reduced synaptic Cu levels, contributing to the behavioral and neurochemical alterations seen in these mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Gaier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Potent and long-lasting inhibition of human P2X2 receptors by copper. Neuropharmacology 2013; 77:167-76. [PMID: 24067922 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
P2X receptors are ion channels gated by ATP. In rodents these channels are modulated by zinc and copper. Zinc is co-released with neurotransmitter at some synapses and can modulate neuronal activity, but the role of copper in the brain is unclear. Rat P2X2 receptors show potentiation by 2-100 μM zinc or copper in the presence of a submaximal concentration of ATP but are inhibited by zinc or copper at concentrations above 100 μM. In contrast, human P2X2 (hP2X2) receptors show no potentiation and are strongly inhibited by zinc over the range of 2-100 μM. The effect of copper on hP2X2 is of interest because there are human brain disorders in which copper concentration is altered. We found that hP2X2 receptors are potently inhibited by copper (IC50 = 40 nM). ATP responsiveness recovered extremely slowly after copper washout, with full recovery requiring over 1 h. ATP binding facilitated copper binding but not unbinding from this inhibitory site. A mutant receptor in which the first six extracellular cysteines were deleted, C(1-6)S, showed normal copper inhibition, however reducing agents dramatically accelerated recovery from copper inhibition in wild type hP2X2 and the C(1-6)S mutant, indicating that the final two disulfide bonds are required to maintain the high affinity copper binding site. Three histidine residues required for normal zinc inhibition were also required for normal copper inhibition. Humans with untreated Wilson's disease have excess amounts of copper in the brain. The high copper sensitivity of hP2X2 receptors suggests that they are non-functional in these patients.
Collapse
|
26
|
Hung YH, Bush AI, La Fontaine S. Links between copper and cholesterol in Alzheimer's disease. Front Physiol 2013; 4:111. [PMID: 23720634 PMCID: PMC3655288 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered copper homeostasis and hypercholesterolemia have been identified independently as risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Abnormal copper and cholesterol metabolism are implicated in the genesis of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), which are two key pathological signatures of AD. Amyloidogenic processing of a sub-population of amyloid precursor protein (APP) that produces Aβ occurs in cholesterol-rich lipid rafts in copper deficient AD brains. Co-localization of Aβ and a paradoxical high concentration of copper in lipid rafts fosters the formation of neurotoxic Aβ:copper complexes. These complexes can catalytically oxidize cholesterol to generate H2O2, oxysterols and other lipid peroxidation products that accumulate in brains of AD cases and transgenic mouse models. Tau, the core protein component of NFTs, is sensitive to interactions with copper and cholesterol, which trigger a cascade of hyperphosphorylation and aggregation preceding the generation of NFTs. Here we present an overview of copper and cholesterol metabolism in the brain, and how their integrated failure contributes to development of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ya Hui Hung
- Oxidation Biology Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health Parkville, VIC, Australia ; Centre for Neuroscience Research, The University of Melbourne Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Chang MY, Tseng CH, Chiou YL. The Plasma Concentration of Copper and Prevalence of Depression Were Positively Correlated in Shift Nurses. Biol Res Nurs 2013; 16:175-81. [PMID: 23460604 DOI: 10.1177/1099800413479156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have reported the prevalence of depression in shift nurses to be 15%, and in some cases it may even be as high as 23%. Depression is a major cause of poor sleep quality and can impede efforts to overcome the chronic fatigue that commonly affects shift nurses. Adverse mental health issues have been confirmed in shift nurses, but few studies have investigated the underlying cause of poor mental health in different shift-nurse populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of serum trace element levels to mental health and the tendency toward depression in shift nurses. We collected blood samples from 90 shift nurses (day, evening, and night shift) who worked in intensive care units and asked them to complete a general data questionnaire as well as the Chinese version of the Beck Depression Inventory, second edition. The night-shift nurses showed mild-to-moderate depression levels, which were significantly higher than those of the control group and other shift nurses. Night-shift nurses also had higher levels of plasma copper, ferritin, interleukin (IL)-6, and alanine aminotransferase ( p < .05) than the control group and other nurses. Elevated concentrations of ferritin and IL-6 are considered important markers for the onset of depression. The results of this study suggest that plasma copper concentrations in nurses should be monitored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Yu Chang
- Department of Nursing, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chin-Ho Tseng
- Department of Nursing, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ya-Ling Chiou
- Department of Nutrition and Institute of BioMedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gaier ED, Eipper BA, Mains RE. Copper signaling in the mammalian nervous system: synaptic effects. J Neurosci Res 2012; 91:2-19. [PMID: 23115049 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2012] [Revised: 08/05/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Copper is an essential metal present at high levels in the CNS. Its role as a cofactor in mitochondrial ATP production and in essential cuproenzymes is well defined. Menkes and Wilson's diseases are severe neurodegenerative conditions that demonstrate the importance of Cu transport into the secretory pathway. In the brain, intracellular levels of Cu, which is almost entirely protein bound, exceed extracellular levels by more than 100-fold. Cu stored in the secretory pathway is released in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner and can transiently reach concentrations over 100 μM at synapses. The ability of low micromolar levels of Cu to bind to and modulate the function of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptors, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels contributes to its effects on synaptic transmission. Cu also binds to amyloid precursor protein and prion protein; both proteins are found at synapses and brain Cu homeostasis is disrupted in mice lacking either protein. Especially intriguing is the ability of Cu to affect AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a monitor of cellular energy status. Despite this, few investigators have examined the direct effects of Cu on synaptic transmission and plasticity. Although the variability of results demonstrates complex influences of Cu that are highly method sensitive, these studies nevertheless strongly support important roles for endogenous Cu and new roles for Cu-binding proteins in synaptic function/plasticity and behavior. Further study of the many roles of Cu in nervous system function will reveal targets for intervention in other diseases in which Cu homeostasis is disrupted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E D Gaier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3401, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Aβ neurotoxicity depends on interactions between copper ions, prion protein, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:1737-42. [PMID: 22307640 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1110789109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) mediate critical CNS functions, whereas excessive activity contributes to neuronal damage. At physiological glycine concentrations, NMDAR currents recorded from cultured rodent hippocampal neurons exhibited strong desensitization in the continued presence of NMDA, thus protecting neurons from calcium overload. Reducing copper availability by specific chelators (bathocuproine disulfonate, cuprizone) induced nondesensitizing NMDAR currents even at physiologically low glycine concentrations. This effect was mimicked by, and was not additive with, genetic ablation of cellular prion protein (PrP(C)), a key copper-binding protein in the CNS. Acute ablation of PrP(C) by enzymatically cleaving its cell-surface GPI anchor yielded similar effects. Biochemical studies and electrophysiological measurements revealed that PrP(C) interacts with the NMDAR complex in a copper-dependent manner to allosterically reduce glycine affinity for the receptor. Synthetic human Aβ(1-42) (10 nM-5 μM) produced an identical effect that could be mitigated by addition of excess copper ions or NMDAR blockers. Taken together, Aβ(1-42), copper chelators, or PrP(C) inactivation all enhance the activity of glycine at the NMDAR, giving rise to pathologically large nondesensitizing steady-state NMDAR currents and neurotoxicity. We propose a physiological role for PrP(C), one that limits excessive NMDAR activity that might otherwise promote neuronal damage. In addition, we provide a unifying molecular mechanism whereby toxic species of Aβ(1-42) might mediate neuronal and synaptic injury, at least in part, by disrupting the normal copper-mediated, PrP(C)-dependent inhibition of excessive activity of this highly calcium-permeable glutamate receptor.
Collapse
|
30
|
Salazar-Weber NL, Smith JP. Copper Inhibits NMDA Receptor-Independent LTP and Modulates the Paired-Pulse Ratio after LTP in Mouse Hippocampal Slices. Int J Alzheimers Dis 2011; 2011:864753. [PMID: 22028985 PMCID: PMC3199118 DOI: 10.4061/2011/864753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2011] [Revised: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper misregulation has been implicated in the pathological processes underlying deterioration of learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Supporting this, inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP) by copper (II) has been well established, but the exact mechanism is poorly characterized. It is thought that an interaction between copper and postsynaptic NMDA receptors is a major part of the mechanism; however, in this study, we found that copper (II) inhibited NMDA receptor-independent LTP in the CA3 region of hippocampal slices. In addition, in the CA3 and CA1 regions, copper modulated the paired-pulse ratio (PPR) in an LTP-dependent manner. Combined, this suggests the involvement of a presynaptic mechanism in the modulation of synaptic plasticity by copper. Inhibition of the copper-dependent changes in the PPR with cyclothiazide suggested that this may involve an interaction with the presynaptic AMPA receptors that regulate neurotransmitter release.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina L Salazar-Weber
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Boulevard, Pueblo, CO 81001, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
|
32
|
Takeda A, Iwaki H, Ando M, Itagaki K, Suzuki M, Oku N. Zinc differentially acts on components of long-term potentiation at hippocampal CA1 synapses. Brain Res 2010; 1323:59-64. [PMID: 20138845 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.01.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2009] [Revised: 01/29/2010] [Accepted: 01/29/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Long-term potentiation (LTP) at hippocampal CA1 synapses consists of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent and NMDA receptor-independent forms. The action of divalent heavy metals, which are NMDA receptor antagonists, was examined focusing on the evidence that CA1 LTP induced by a 100-Hz tetanus for 1s is abolished in the presence of 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), a NMDA receptor antagonist. Only ZnCl2 (5microM) of heavy metals tested potentiated CA1 LTP. CA1 LTP induced by repeated 100-Hz tetanus (1s, 6 times, 10min interval), which reached a plateau in magnitude, was abolished in the presence of 50microM APV. In this case, CA1 LTP after the first tetanus was potentiated in the presence of 5microM ZnCl2, whereas CA1 LTP after the last tetanus was not potentiated. These results indicate that the magnitude of NMDA receptor-dependent CA1 LTP can be positively shifted with 5microM ZnCl2 in the range of the maximum magnitude. CA1 LTP induced by a 200-Hz tetanus for 1s was not potentiated in the presence of 5microM ZnCl2 and was partially inhibited in the presence of APV. Furthermore, CA1 LTP induced by a 200-Hz tetanus for 1s in the presence of APV was not potentiated in the presence of 5microM ZnCl2, indicating that NMDA receptor-independent CA1 LTP is not potentiated with 5microM ZnCl2. The present study suggests that zinc differentially acts on CA1 LTP components.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Takeda
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Global COE, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Copper in the brain and Alzheimer’s disease. J Biol Inorg Chem 2009; 15:61-76. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-009-0600-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 313] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2009] [Accepted: 10/13/2009] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
34
|
Que EL, Domaille DW, Chang CJ. Metals in neurobiology: probing their chemistry and biology with molecular imaging. Chem Rev 2008; 108:1517-49. [PMID: 18426241 DOI: 10.1021/cr078203u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1513] [Impact Index Per Article: 94.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Que
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Jones LC, Beard JL, Jones BC. Genetic analysis reveals polygenic influences on iron, copper, and zinc in mouse hippocampus with neurobiological implications. Hippocampus 2008; 18:398-410. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
36
|
Huidobro-Toro JP, Lorca RA, Coddou C. Trace metals in the brain: allosteric modulators of ligand-gated receptor channels, the case of ATP-gated P2X receptors. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2007; 37:301-14. [DOI: 10.1007/s00249-007-0230-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2007] [Revised: 10/10/2007] [Accepted: 10/11/2007] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
|
37
|
Abstract
Copper and iron are transition elements essential for life. These metals are required to maintain the brain's biochemistry such that deficiency or excess of either copper or iron results in central nervous system disease. This review focuses on the inherited disorders in humans that directly affect copper or iron homeostasis in the brain. Elucidation of the molecular genetic basis of these rare disorders has provided insight into the mechanisms of copper and iron acquisition, trafficking, storage, and excretion in the brain. This knowledge permits a greater understanding of copper and iron roles in neurobiology and neurologic disease and may allow for the development of therapeutic approaches where aberrant metal homeostasis is implicated in disease pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Madsen
- Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Guilarte TR, Chen MK. Manganese inhibits NMDA receptor channel function: implications to psychiatric and cognitive effects. Neurotoxicology 2007; 28:1147-52. [PMID: 17662456 PMCID: PMC2100416 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2007.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2007] [Revised: 05/31/2007] [Accepted: 06/20/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Humans exposed to excess levels of manganese (Mn(2+)) express psychiatric problems and deficits in attention and learning and memory. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on molecular mechanisms by which Mn(2+) produces such effects. We now report that Mn(2+) is a potent inhibitor of [(3)H]-MK-801 binding to the NMDA receptor channel in rat neuronal membrane preparations. The inhibition of [(3)H]-MK-801 to the NMDA receptor channel by Mn(2+) was activity-dependent since Mn(2+) was a more potent inhibitor in the presence of the NMDA receptor co-agonists glutamate and glycine (K(i)=35.9+/-3.1 microM) than in their absence (K(i)=157.1+/-6.5 microM). We also show that Mn(2+) is a NMDA receptor channel blocker since its inhibition of [(3)H]-MK-801 binding to the NMDA receptor channel is competitive in nature. That is, Mn(2+) significantly increased the affinity constant (K(d)) with no significant effect on the maximal number of [(3)H]-MK-801 binding sites (B(max)). Under stimulating conditions, Mn(2+) was equipotent in inhibiting [(3)H]-MK-801 binding to NMDA receptors expressed in neuronal membrane preparations from different brain regions. However, under basal, non-stimulated conditions, Mn(2+) was more potent in inhibiting NMDA receptors in the cerebellum than other brain regions. We have previously shown that chronic Mn(2+) exposure in non-human primates increases Cu(2+), but not zinc or iron concentrations in the basal ganglia [Guilarte TR, Chen M-K, McGlothan JL, Verina T, Wong DF, Zhou Y, Alexander M, Rohde CA, Syversen T, Decamp E, Koser AJ, Fritz S, Gonczi H, Anderson DW, Schneider JS. Nigrostriatal dopamine system dysfunction and subtle motor deficits in manganese-exposed non-human primates. Exp Neurol 2006a;202:381-90]. Therefore, we also tested the inhibitory effects of Cu(2+) on [(3)H]-MK-801 binding to the NMDA receptor channel. The data shows that Cu(2+) in the presence of glutamate and glycine is a more potent inhibitor of the NMDA receptor than Mn(2+). Our findings suggest that the inhibitory effect of Mn(2+) and/or Cu(2+) on the NMDA receptor may produce a deficit in glutamatergic transmission in the brain of individuals exposed to excess levels of Mn(2+) and produce neurological dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomás R Guilarte
- Neurotoxicology & Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.
| | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
El Meskini R, Crabtree KL, Cline LB, Mains RE, Eipper BA, Ronnett GV. ATP7A (Menkes protein) functions in axonal targeting and synaptogenesis. Mol Cell Neurosci 2007; 34:409-21. [PMID: 17215139 PMCID: PMC1876716 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2006.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2006] [Revised: 11/11/2006] [Accepted: 11/20/2006] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Menkes disease (MD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the copper transporter, ATP7A, a P-type ATPase. We previously used the olfactory system to demonstrate that ATP7A expression is developmentally, not constitutive, regulated, peaking during synaptogenesis when it is highly expressed in extending axons in a copper-independent manner. Although not known to be associated with axonal functions, we explored the possibility that the inability of mutant ATP7A to support axon outgrowth contributes to the neurodegeneration seen in MD. In vivo analysis of the olfactory system in mottled brindled (Atp7aMobr) mice, a rodent model for MD, demonstrates that ATP7A deficiency affects olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) maturation. Disrupted OSN axonal projections and mitral/tufted cell dendritic growth lead to altered synapse integrity and glomerular disorganization in the olfactory bulbs of Atp7aMobr mice. Our data indicate that the neuronal abnormalities observed in MD are a result of specific age-dependent developmental defects. This study demonstrates a role for ATP7A and/or copper in axon outgrowth and synaptogenesis, and will further help identify the cause of the neuropathology that characterizes MD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajaâ El Meskini
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Schlief ML, West T, Craig AM, Holtzman DM, Gitlin JD. Role of the Menkes copper-transporting ATPase in NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal toxicity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:14919-24. [PMID: 17003121 PMCID: PMC1578502 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0605390103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Menkes disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder resulting in seizures, hypotonia, and failure to thrive, is due to inherited loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding a copper-transporting ATPase (Atp7a) on the X chromosome. Although affected patients exhibit signs and symptoms of copper deficiency, the mechanisms resulting in neurologic disease remain unknown. We recently discovered that Atp7a is required for the production of an NMDA receptor-dependent releasable copper pool within hippocampal neurons, a finding that suggests a role for copper in activity-dependent modulation of synaptic activity. In support of this hypothesis, we now demonstrate that copper chelation exacerbates NMDA-mediated excitotoxic cell death in primary hippocampal neurons, whereas the addition of copper is specifically protective and results in a significant decrease in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) levels after NMDA receptor activation. Consistent with the known neuroprotective effect of NMDA receptor nitrosylation, we show here that this protective effect of copper depends on endogenous nitric oxide production in hippocampal neurons, demonstrating in vivo links among neuroprotection, copper metabolism, and nitrosylation. Atp7a is required for these copper-dependent effects: Hippocampal neurons isolated from newborn Mo(br) mice reveal a marked sensitivity to endogenous glutamate-mediated NMDA receptor-dependent excitotoxicity in vitro, and mild hypoxic/ischemic insult to these mice in vivo results in significantly increased caspase 3 activation and neuronal injury. Taken together, these data reveal a unique connection between copper homeostasis and NMDA receptor activity that is of broad relevance to the processes of synaptic plasticity and excitotoxic cell death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ann Marie Craig
- Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | | | - Jonathan D. Gitlin
- Departments of *Pediatrics
- To whom correspondence should be addressed at:
Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Schlief ML, Gitlin JD. Copper homeostasis in the CNS: a novel link between the NMDA receptor and copper homeostasis in the hippocampus. Mol Neurobiol 2006; 33:81-90. [PMID: 16603790 DOI: 10.1385/mn:33:2:81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2005] [Revised: 11/30/1999] [Accepted: 06/30/2005] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Copper is an essential nutrient that plays a fundamental role in the biochemistry of the central nervous system, as evidenced by patients with Menkes disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder of childhood resulting from the loss-of-function of a copper-transporting P-type adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase). Despite clinical and experimental data indicating a role for copper in brain function, the mechanisms and timing of the critical events affected by copper remain poorly understood. A novel role for the Menkes ATPase has been identified in the availability of an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent, releasable pool of copper in hippocampal neurons, suggesting a unique mechanism linking copper homeostasis and neuronal activation within the central nervous system. This article explores the evidence that copper acts as a modulator of neuronal transmission, and that the release of endogenous copper from neurons may regulate NMDA receptor activity. The relationship between impaired copper homeostasis and neuropathophysiology suggests that impairment of copper efflux could alter neuronal function and thus contribute to rapid neuronal degeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Schlief
- Edward Mallickrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Goldschmith A, Infante C, Leiva J, Motles E, Palestini M. Interference of chronically ingested copper in long-term potentiation (LTP) of rat hippocampus. Brain Res 2005; 1056:176-82. [PMID: 16112097 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2005] [Revised: 07/14/2005] [Accepted: 07/18/2005] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The objective of our study was to find the evidence of copper interaction in LTP, motivated by copper involvement in neurodegenerative illness, like Parkinson, Alzheimer and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and we initiated the study of this element in the LTP. For this purpose we used hippocampus slices of rats chronically consuming copper dissolved in water (CuDR; n=26) and non-copper-consuming rats (CR; n=20). The CuDR rats received 8--10 mg/day during 20--25 days. Electrophysiological tests showed absence of LTP in CuDR slices, contrary to CR slices. The stimulus-response test applied before and after LTP showed significant increases of synaptic potential in the CR group. This did not occur in the CuDR group, except for the initial values, which probably seem associated to an early action of copper. The paired-pulse (PP) test, applied to CR and CuDR prior to tetanic stimulation, showed a significant reduction in PP, for the 20-, 30- and 50-ms intervals in CuDR. At the end of the experiments, copper concentration was 54.2 times higher in CuDR slices, compared to the concentration present in CR slices. Our results show that copper reduces synaptic sensibility and also the facilitation capability. These effects represent a significant disturbance in the plasticity phenomenon associated with learning and memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Goldschmith
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Escuela de Geología, Universidad de Chile, Chile
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Schlief ML, Craig AM, Gitlin JD. NMDA receptor activation mediates copper homeostasis in hippocampal neurons. J Neurosci 2005; 25:239-46. [PMID: 15634787 PMCID: PMC6725203 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3699-04.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper is an essential transition metal with a critical role in the CNS. This requirement is underscored by Menkes disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder of childhood resulting from the absence or dysfunction of a copper-transporting P-type ATPase. To elucidate the cell biological mechanisms of copper homeostasis in the CNS, a polyclonal antisera against Menkes ATPase was used in immunoblot and immunohistochemical studies, demonstrating abundant expression of this copper transporter in hippocampal neurons. Consistent with this observation, immunofluorescent analysis revealed Menkes ATPase in the late Golgi of hippocampal neurons in primary culture. Glutamate receptor activation was found to result in the rapid and reversible trafficking of Menkes ATPase to neuronal processes, independent of the intracellular copper concentration and specific for activation of the NMDA- but not AMPA/kainate-type glutamate receptors. Metabolic studies revealed that trafficking of Menkes ATPase after NMDA receptor activation is associated with rapid release of copper from hippocampal neurons. Menkes ATPase is directly required for this copper efflux, because similar studies in hippocampal neurons derived from mice lacking a functional Menkes ATPase demonstrated no copper release. Together, these data reveal a critical role for Menkes ATPase in the availability of an NMDA receptor-dependent, releasable pool of copper in hippocampal neurons and demonstrate a unique mechanism linking copper homeostasis and neuronal activation within the CNS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Schlief
- Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Kim H, Macdonald RL. An N-Terminal Histidine Is the Primary Determinant of α Subunit-Dependent Cu2+Sensitivity of αβ3γ2L GABAAReceptors. Mol Pharmacol 2003; 64:1145-52. [PMID: 14573764 DOI: 10.1124/mol.64.5.1145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper (Cu2+) is a physiologically important cation and is released from nerve terminals. Cu2+ modulates GABAA receptor currents in an alpha subunit subtype-dependent manner; alpha1beta3gamma2L receptors are more sensitive to Cu2+ than alpha6beta3gamma2L receptors. We compared the effect of Cu2+ on alphabeta3gamma2L receptors containing each of the six alpha subtypes and generated alpha1/alpha6 chimeras and mutants to determine the functional domain(s) and specific residues responsible for alpha subtype-dependent differences in Cu2+ sensitivity. Whole-cell GABAA receptor currents were obtained from L929 fibroblasts coexpressing wild-type, chimeric and mutant alpha subunits with beta3 and gamma2L subunits. Maximal Cu2+ inhibition of alpha1beta3gamma2L and alpha2beta3gamma2L receptor currents was larger (52.2 +/- 3.0 and 59.0 +/- 2.5%, respectively) than maximal inhibition of alpha3beta3gamma2L, alpha4beta3gamma2L, alpha5beta3gamma2L, and alpha6beta3gamma2L receptor currents (22.6 +/- 3.1, 19.2 +/- 3.4, 20.2 +/- 4.8, and 21.2 +/- 3.6%, respectively). Receptors containing chimeric constructs with alpha1 subtype N-terminal sequence between residues 127 and 232 were inhibited by Cu2+ to an extent similar to those with alpha1 subtypes, suggesting that this N-terminal region (127-232) contains a major determinant for high Cu2+ sensitivity. alpha1 subtype residues V134, R135, and H141 in a VRAECPMH motif (VQAECPMH in the alpha2 subtype) conferred higher Cu2+ sensitivity, and the H141 residue was the major determinant in the motif. The beta3 subtype M2 domain residue H267, which is a major determinant of Zn2+ inhibition, and alpha6 subtype M2-M3 loop residue H273, which is responsible for the increased Zn2+ sensitivity of the alpha6 subtype, also seemed to contribute to Cu2+ inhibition. These data suggest that the N-terminal VR(Q)AECPMH motif in alpha1 and alpha2 subtypes is the major determinant of increased subtype-dependent inhibition by Cu2+, that residue H141 is the major determinant in that motif, and that Cu2+ may also interact with GABAA receptors at sites similar to or overlapping Zn2+ sites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heejeong Kim
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Castelli L, Tanzi F, Taglietti V, Magistretti J. Cu2+, Co2+, and Mn2+ modify the gating kinetics of high-voltage-activated Ca2+ channels in rat palaeocortical neurons. J Membr Biol 2003; 195:121-36. [PMID: 14724759 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-003-0614-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2003] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The effects of three divalent metal cations (Mn2+, Co2+, and Cu2+) on high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ currents were studied in acutely dissociated pyramidal neurons of rat piriform cortex using the patch-clamp technique. Cu2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ blocked HVA currents conducted by Ba2+ ( IBa) with IC50 of approximately 920 nM, approximately 58 micro M, and approximately 65 micro M, respectively. Additionally, after application of non-saturating concentrations of the three cations, residual currents activated with substantially slower kinetics than control IBa. As a consequence, the current fraction abolished by the blocking cations typically displayed, in its early phase, an unusually fast-decaying transient. The latter phenomenon turned out to be a subtraction artifact, since none of the pharmacological components (L-, N-, P/Q-, and R-type) that constitute the total HVA currents under study showed a similarly fast early decay: hence, the slow activation kinetics of residual currents was not due to the preferential inhibition of a fast-activating/inactivating component, but rather to a true slowing effect of the blocker cations. The percent IBa-amplitude inhibition caused by Mn2+, Co2+, and Cu2+ was voltage-independent over the whole potential range explored (up to +30 mV), hence the slowing of IBa activation kinetics was not due to a mechanism of voltage- and time-dependent relief from block. Moreover, Mn2+, Co2+, and Cu2+ significantly reduced I(Ba) deactivation speed upon repolarization, which also is not compatible with a depolarization-dependent unblocking mechanism. The above results show that 1) Cu2+ is a particularly potent HVA Ca2+-channel blocker in rat palaeocortical neurons; and 2) Mn2+, Co2+, and Cu2+, besides exerting a blocking action on HVA Ca2+-channels, also modify Ca2+-current activation and deactivation kinetics, most probably by directly interfering with channel-state transitions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Castelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche-Farmacologiche Cellulari-Molecolari, Sezione di Fisiologia Generale e Biofisica Cellulare, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Lorca RA, Chacón M, Barría MI, Inestrosa NC, Huidobro-Toro JP. The human prion octarepeat fragment prevents and reverses the inhibitory action of copper in the P2X4 receptor without modifying the zinc action. J Neurochem 2003; 85:709-16. [PMID: 12694397 DOI: 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2003.01705.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Human prion protein fragments (PrP60-67 or PrP59-91) prevented and reversed the inhibition elicited by 5 micro m copper on the P2X4 receptor expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. A 60-s pre-application of 5 micro m copper caused a 69.2 +/- 2.6% inhibition of the 10 micro m adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-evoked currents, an effect that was prevented by mixing 5 micro m copper with 0.01-10 micro m of the PrP fragments 1-min prior to application. This interaction was selective, as PrP59-91 did not alter the facilitatory action of zinc. The EC50 of PrP60-67 and PrP59-91 for the reduction of the copper inhibition were 4.6 +/- 1 and 1.3 +/- 0.4 micro m, respectively. A synthetic PrP59-91 variant in which all four His were replaced by Ala was inactive. However, the replacement of Trp in each of the four putative copper-binding domains by Ala slightly decreased its potency. Furthermore, the application of 10 micro m PrP59-91 reversed the copper-evoked inhibition, restoring the ATP concentration curve to the same level as the non-inhibited state. Fragment 139-157 of betaA4 amyloid precursor protein also prevented the action of copper; its EC50 was 1.6 +/- 0.1 micro m; the metal chelator penicillamine was equipotent with PrP60-67, but carnosine was significantly less potent. Our findings highlight the role of PrP in copper homeostasis and hint at its possible role as a modulator of synapses regulated by this trace metal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramón A Lorca
- Centro de Regulación Celular y Patología, J. V. Luco Instituto MIFAB, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Kretzschmar HA, Tings T, Madlung A, Giese A, Herms J. Function of PrP(C) as a copper-binding protein at the synapse. ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY. SUPPLEMENTUM 2001:239-49. [PMID: 11214928 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-7091-6308-5_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP(C)) shows cooperative copper binding of the N-terminal octarepeat (PHGGGWGO) x4. In brain homogenates, PrP(C) is found in highest concentration in synaptosomal fractions. Mice devoid of PrP(C) (Prnp0/0 mice) show synaptosomal copper concentrations diminished by 50% as compared to normal mice. PrP(C) in the synaptic cleft may serve as a copper buffer. Alternatively it may play a role in the re-uptake of copper into the presynapse or may be of structural importance for the N-terminus and thus may influence binding of PrP(C) to other proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H A Kretzschmar
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Göttingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Herms JW, Tings T, Dunker S, Kretzschmar HA. Prion protein affects Ca2+-activated K+ currents in cerebellar purkinje cells. Neurobiol Dis 2001; 8:324-30. [PMID: 11300727 DOI: 10.1006/nbdi.2000.0369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion protein (PrPC) has a primary role in the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Its physiological function is not known yet. Altered late afterhyperpolarization has been observed in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells of prion protein-deficient mice (Prnp(0/0) mice) presumably caused by a disruption of Ca2+-activated K+ currents. An alteration of these currents has been recently described in scrapie-infected animals, and loss of function of PrPC has been put forward as one possible pathophysiological mechanism in prion diseases. This work focuses on patch-clamp studies of Ca2+-activated K+ currents in cerebellar Purkinje cells in the slice preparation of Prnp(0/0) mice as well as of transgenic mice. A significant correlation between PrPC expression in Purkinje cells and the maximal amplitude of TEA-insensitive Ca2+-activated K+ currents was observed, with reduced current amplitudes in Prnp(0/0) mice and a rescue of the phenotype in transgenic mice where PrPC had been reintroduced. Further studies of the intracellular free calcium concentration revealed an alteration of the maximal increase of intracellular calcium concentration with depolarization in the Prnp(0/0) mouse Purkinje cells. These data provide strong evidence that Ca2+-activated K+ currents in Prnp(0/0) mice are reduced due to an alteration of intracellular calcium homeostasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J W Herms
- Department of Neuropathology, Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, Göttingen, 37075, Germany
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Bon CL, Garthwaite J. Nitric oxide-induced potentiation of CA1 hippocampal synaptic transmission during baseline stimulation is strictly frequency-dependent. Neuropharmacology 2001; 40:501-7. [PMID: 11249959 DOI: 10.1016/s0028-3908(00)00193-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) has been hypothesised to serve a signalling role in certain types of synaptic plasticity. If so, exogenously applied NO should be able to elicit those same plastic changes under appropriate conditions. In the case of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), however, existing evidence is discrepant. Field recordings of synaptic transmission in the CA1 area of rat hippocampal slices were used to re-examine this issue. Under 0.2 Hz afferent fibre stimulation, NO (delivered using two different NONOates) produced, concentration-dependently, a depression of synaptic transmission. On washout of NO, the depression gave way to a persistent potentiation, the amplitude of which was also graded with NONOate concentration. Tetanus-induced LTP, induced an hour after washout, was occluded in proportion to the degree of prior NO-induced potentiation. At a lower stimulation frequency of 0.033 Hz, the depression was unaltered but no rebound potentiation took place and subsequent tetanus-induced LTP was normal. Tests indicated that there is a clear time-window during which 0.2 Hz stimulation needs to be applied relative to the delivery of NO to produce a potentiation. The findings explain previous divergent results and indicate that exogenous NO-triggered potentiation depends critically on the frequency of synaptic transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C L Bon
- The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP(C)) is a copper-binding protein of unknown function that plays an important role in the etiology of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Using morphological techniques and synaptosomal fractionation methods, we show that PrP(C) is predominantly localized to synaptic membranes. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to identify PrP(C)-related changes in the synaptosomal copper concentration in transgenic mouse lines. The synaptic transmission in the presence of H(2)O(2), which is known to be decomposed to highly reactive hydroxyl radicals in the presence of iron or copper and to alter synaptic activity, was studied in these animals. The response of synaptic activity to H(2)O(2) was found to correlate with the amount of PrP(C) expression in the presynaptic neuron in cerebellar slice preparations from wild-type, Prnp(0/0), and PrP gene-reconstituted transgenic mice. Thus, our data gives strong evidence for the predominantly synaptic location of PrP(C), its involvement in the regulation of the presynaptic copper concentration, and synaptic activity in defined conditions.
Collapse
|